Water-meter.



PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

P. LAMBERT.

WATER METER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1902.

QSHEETS-SHEET 1.

Y ZeJifv N0- 787,577. I PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

' P. LAMBERT. v I

WATER METER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1902.

2 BHEBTSSHEBT 2.

5o fication.

UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

FRANK LAMBERT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

WATER-METER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,577, dated April18, 1905.

Application filed May 10, 1902. Serial No. 106,730.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of New York city, borough of Brooklyn, Kings county, State ofNew York, have invented Improvements in Water-Meters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to disk water-meters, and more particularly to themanner of holding the various internal parts of the meter together, soas to prevent abnormal internal strain.

It is well known that one of the greatest objections to diskwater-meters is the breakage of the disk-piston. Metal pistons have beentried, but on account of their weight, wear, and other disadvantages arenot satisfactory. Vulcanite or hard-rubber pistons are generally used,but on account of the necessary limited thickness of disk pistons theyare liable to breakage either from obstructions entering thedisk-chamber or from sudden excess of pressure due to Water-hammer.

By making the sections of the diskchamher free to move apart the pistonwill not be put to abnormal strain when there is an obstruction orexcess of pressure that would otherwise tend to break the piston. Inmeters such as shown it has always been considered necessary to havethesections of the disk-chamber firmly secured together. By experiment Ihave found that this is not necessary and that the sections may be heldin face contact by gravity.

My invention also embraces several other features of improvement, aswill be hereinafter explained. I

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one form of water-meter toillustrate the principles of my invention; but it is to be understoodthat I do not limit myself to this form nor to any particularconstruction for carrying myinvention into effect.

Figure 1 is a central sectional elevation of one form of a meterembodying my improvements, the top of the meter being shown in full.Fig. 2 is a sectional plan taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asectional view of a portion of the meter, showinga slight modi- -Fig. 4is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the connection Referring toFigs. 1 and 2, the external casing 1 is open at one end to admit theinternal parts of the meter. The disk measuringchamber is formed ofsections 2 and 3, section 3 only being fitted in the bore of the casmg1.

Section 2 of the measuringechamber is freely fitted to and registeredaxially with section-3 by cooperating shoulder and recess connection.

Water entering the meter at the inlet 4, Fig. 2, flows freely into theupper part of the casing above section 2, as well as into the inlet ofthe measuring-chamber, so that the water-pressure is greater abovesection 2 of the measurin -chamber than within, and this section will bekept in face contact with section 3 by gravity and the excess ordifference of pressure. It will thus be evident that with undue pressurefrom any cause within the disk-chamber section 2 may be forced upwardagainst gravity and relieve strain on the disk piston 37.

Preferably I mount the frame 5, carrying the controlling-hub 5 and theinternal reducing-gear train, upon section 2 to add to its weight andhelp gravity make goodthe face contact between the sections.

Section 3 of the measuring-chamber closes the opening in the casing, anda water-tight joint may be made by interposing a packing or gasket 6between a shoulder 7 on the casing and a flange 8 on section 3. Anysuitable means for holding section 3 firmly in normal position and thejoints 6 7 8 watertight may be adopted. As shown, such means may consistof a leaf-spring 9, secured to the casing 1 by bolts 10 and pressingagainst the lower section 3 of the meas-. uring-chamber. This spring 9normally tends to push section 3 of the measuringchamber into its seatin the casing 1 with sufficient force to resist the normal internalpressure of the meter, but to yield under a pressure greater than normalbut less than that necessary to deform the meter, in which case one ormore of the internal parts may be forced out of the casing or out ofnormal position, and thus relieve or reduce the internal pressure incase of water-hammer or in case of freezing of the water in the meter.

Preferably I mount the sections of the diskchamber loosely together toprevent them getting too far apart, as might ha pen in the shipment ofthe meters, or whol y apart if forced out of the casing. As shown,shouldered screws 11, passing freely through holes in the flange 12 ofsection 2, are threaded into flange 13 of section 3, the body of thescrews above the threaded portion being sufficiently long to allowsection 2 to rise above section 3 a certain distance. This distance maybe predetermined to always keep the axial registration between thesections by means of the shoulder and recess connections.

Also, as shown in the detail view, Fig. 3,

coiled springs 14 may be placed between the heads of the screws 11 andthe top of the flange 12 of section 2 to help gravity to return promptlythe sections to normal relative positions. These springs 14 need not beunder tension when the sections are in normal position, but only adaptedto exert a force after the upper section 2 has been lifted some distancefrom section 3. The screws 11 also act to prevent the rotation ofsection 2 independently of section 3.

Still referring to Fig. 1, section 3, and consequently the whole of themeasuringchamber, is prevented from rotation in the casing 1 by suitablemeans, such as a pin 15, projecting from section 3 into a slot 16 in thecasing 1. The measuring-chamber sections and gear-train may be insertedinto or taken out of the casing all together, and as long as the pin 15is engaged in the slot 16 all these internal parts will be maintained intheir normal radial positions and be prevented .from rotation inwhatever position up or.

down that they may occupy in the casing.

It will be evident that the sections of the measuring-chamber may beforced out of normal position independently of each other, as well asthat the whole measuring-chamber and parts that may be attached theretomay be forced out of normal position all together that is, the uppersection may rise while the lower one remains seated, or the lower onemay be forced downward away from the upper section, or all the parts maybe forced out of the casing together.

The diagrammatic view, Fig. 4, illustrates the connecting-gearingbetween the pinion .40, Fig. 1, and gear-wheel 35 in the constructionwhich Fig. 1 shows. The pinion 40 actuates Wheel 41 and the pinion 42,fast with the wheel 41, actuates the gear-wheel 43. The pinion 44, fastwith wheel 43, actuates the gear-wheel 45, and the pinion 46, fast withthe wheel 45, actuates the gear-wheel 35.

I do not limit myself to any particular means shown for carrying out myinvention nor to any combination of the various features described.

I claim as my invention 1. In a water-meter, a pressure-casin mountedtherein a measuring-chamber ma e in sections each free to be forcedindependently of the other out of normal position under undue pressure,without damage to the meter, only one of said sections when in normalposition fitting said pressure-casing.

of normal position, without damage to the meter.

4. In a water-meter, a pressure-casing, mounted therein a measuringchamber formed of sections, a train of ears resting on one of saidsections, the said sections being held in face contact with each otherby gravity only.

5. In a water-meter, a pressure-casing, mounted therein ameasuring-chamber the sections of which are capable of beingindependently forced out of normal position, and means for preventingthe rotation of said measuring-chamber when in normal position or in anyother position in the pressure-casing to which it may be forced by unduepressure.

6. In a water-meter, a pressure-casing, mounted therein a measuringchamber formed of sections each capable of being forced independently ofthe other out of normal position by undue internal pressure, withoutdamage to the meter, and means to prevent said sections from gettingwholly separated when forced out of normal position.

7. In a water-meter, a pressure-casing, mounted therein ameasuringchamber formed of sections axially registered together, eachadapted to be forced independently of the other out of normal positionby undue internal pressure, Without damage to the meter, and means forkeeping said registration between the said sections in all positions ofthe said measuring-chamber in said casing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK LAMBERT.

Witnesses:

EDITH J. GRIswoLD, .MABELLE F. LAKE.

